The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1887-01-22

"A JCCCut Gull az VIC 1C6A0CuNV VA
our townsman, James G. Richard
son, says the Lake City Sentinel, re-
vealed several original and novel
labor-saving devices, of which we
make mention. Mr.. K. has for years
fed his horses in the morning by sim
ply pulling a wire that leads from
the house to the barn. Fol- some
time he used fitting buckets. These
answered very well, but did not prove
entirely satisfactory, as the oats
had to be measured and placed in
the buckets.
After studying the matter, he
invented, and has had in operation
for year or more, an automatic
feeding device that does the work
perfectly. BY this arrangement
Mr.. Il. is enabled to feed his three
horses before rising, as the oats are
taken directly from the bin, meas
ured and thrown to the horses, by
simply pulling a cord that hangs at
the head of the bed, the cord being
connected to the wire leading to
the barn. The cord also passes in
to the kitchen, SO the horses can
be fed from the house at any time.
At the barn they are fed from the
lower floor without going up stairs
where the oat bins are. Upon one
side Of the stable hangs four small
rings. A pull of one Of these rings
feeds all the horses, the other three
act Independently, and any other
horse can bed fed by pulling the
desired ring, so if any horse is
away only oats for those remaining
need be given. BY a simple meas
uring device, which is attached to
and is a part of the feeder, one
horse can be fed one quantity of
grain, and another another guam
tity; also a horse can be fed two
quarts in the morning, four at
noon and six at night, or any
quantity desired at any time.
Whether the cord is pulled and in
stantly released, or held an indefi-
mite time, the result is the same,
only the predetermined quantity of
oats will pass to the manger.
The receptacles of the feeder are
numbered, and to the bin is attached
movable dial, with correspond
ing numbers, so a glance will deter
mine whether any of the horses have
been fed. The bins can be of any
size desired; but those at Mr.. RS
barn hold a quantity sufficient to
feed three horses for six months,
so in that time the labor to be done
is to pull the cords in the house or
the rings in the barn. Mr.. X. has
patented the invention, and with
such complete emancipation of
labor, by so simple and inexpensive
device, it seems as though every
gentleman would wish to adopt
the plan, for its convenience at
the barn alone even though they
had no use for it from the house.
1t is not only labor saving and iu-
expensive, but the oats are entirely
protected from the rats, and it is
so simple it can not get out of
order.
Mention might be made of the
curiously arranged doors for the
saving of room in the barn. One is
made to telecope so as to occupy
but little space. Another lage door
is made to slide and swing at the
same time. when being opened or
closed, and when opened, occupies
a spaces only the thickness of the
door. Another heavy sliding door,
two inches thick and nearly five
feet wide, when open, stands nearly
at right angles to the position when
closed, and instead ~of taking five
feet of valuable space, uses but
eleven inches.
Another labor-saving device is
simple machine for lighting the
kitchen fire. This is attached to
the stove hearth by thumbscrew,
and can be removed at pleasure.
The fire is lighted inside the stove,
and the lighter, after having per-
formed its duty, removes itself out
of the way of the heat, and is ready
for use again. The lighter is worked
by single pull Of the cord that is
attached to the one at the head Of
the bed.
Nor is this all pull of the cord
that feed the horses, and lights the
kitchen fire, also releases the spring
that puts the draft on a coal stove
in the adjoining room. These de-
vices can be operated simultane-
ously or Independently, as desired,
and are great blessings this cold
waofher